Where the candidates stand: California emission waiver and global warming
Published 12:00 am PST Monday, February 4, 2008
DEMOCRATS
Hillary Rodham Clinton: Supports California's effort to raise vehicle emission standards. Calls for a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, stronger energy and auto efficiency standards and a significant increase in green research funding. Her 10-year, $150 billion energy program would include a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund – paid for in part by oil companies – to fund investments in alternative energy.
Barack Obama: Supports California's effort to raise vehicle emission standards. Wants a market-based cap-and-trade system that would reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Would invest $150 billion over 10 years to develop biofuels, plug-in hybrids, commercial-scale renewable energy, low-emissions coal plants and a new digital electricity grid.
REPUBLICANS
John McCain: Supports California's request for a federal waiver, which would let the state force carmakers to redesign vehicles to get better mileage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Believes global warming is an issue the nation can no longer ignore. Wants to reduce dependence on foreign supplies of energy and limit carbon emissions by harnessing market forces that will bring advanced technologies – such as nuclear energy – to the market faster.
Mitt Romney: Said in last week's debate, "I side with states being able to make their own decisions, even if I don't always agree with the decisions they make." But he had previously opposed the California standards, saying there should be a single, national set of emission rules. After the debate, his campaign released a statement stating that carbon dioxide should be regulated federally.
Mike Huckabee: Says states should have the right to pursue their own course, as California has done on its federal waiver request and live with the consequences. Calls for a comprehensive plan involving conservation and pursuit of alternative energy, including nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel and biomass.
Ron Paul: Says California "should do what they want" on global warming. Maintains that government regulations, taxes and corporate subsidies have distorted the energy market, causing some prices to rise above what they would be in the free market, while artificially lowering other prices and discouraging conservation.
